


In the Absence of Everything, I Promise To Keep You Warm

by muddywaters



Category: Actor RPF, This Is the End (2013)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Anxiety, Apocalypse, Crack Treated Seriously, Crushes, Cuddling & Snuggling, Drama, Emotional Manipulation, First Kiss, First Time Blow Jobs, Humor, Inappropriate Humor, James Franco Being An Asshole, Jay Baruchel Gets Bullied, LGBTQ Character, Love Triangles, M/M, Male Slash, Near Death Experiences, Nutella, Obsessive Behavior, PS : James is out of the closet, Possibly Unrequited Love, Seth Rogen Is Conflicted, Tragedy/Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:06:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26638543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muddywaters/pseuds/muddywaters
Summary: Seth is a glaring casualty to James' admiration. Jay stands as an obstacle to this.
Relationships: James Franco/Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel/James Franco, Jay Baruchel/James Franco/Jonah Hill/Danny McBride/Craig Robinson/Seth Rogen, Seth Rogen/Jay Baruchel
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	In the Absence of Everything, I Promise To Keep You Warm

Not for a second would he have _truly_ mistaken Jay for a Johnny. With as frequently as Seth spoke of him, it would’ve been essentially impossible for James to have gone without remembering the kid's name. It was simple, even for someone as vacuous as Franco could be.   
  
It was a common name, really.  _ Undistinguished _ , James believed,  _ much _ less eminent than his own. After all, he had a commonality with the _Dean_ himself and therefore, it only felt justified for James to deem himself worthier of a boast, given that he was among the greats: _Earl Jones, Cromwell, Cagney_ … And surely that  _ Madison _ guy proved to be of some use along the way, too. There were a few books, tucked neatly onto Franco’s shelf (alongside other novellas and narratives that he owned with sole intention to brag about, yet, not dare venture into. The only reading he did nowadays was that of film scripts, arguably much easier to grasp than the content littered with long, unfamiliar words inside those books) that accented the aforementioned politician, whose apparent importance in James’ mind was derived from the fact that such an individual could often be pictured writing with a quill pen. Only the most acclaimed highbrows wrote with  _ feathered _ pens, and factly, he had gone out and purchased a few for himself. Such peculiarity earned very few second glances when he’d go as far as to sign contracts with the pinion and loose ink because even at the end of the day, that was the quirky, unorthodox behavior anticipated from James Franco, who’d essentially branded himself with zaniness. 

When he thought of Jay or was compelled into listening to Seth go on tangents about his childhood friend, James didn’t seem to have any positive associations with the name  _ or _ the person. Jay was your run of the mill hipster, and this was something that could have been deduced  _ without _ the help of a particularly judgemental Hermoine.    
Jay was the type of person that he’d figure Seth would even go as far as to pick fun at. His insipid taste in clothing was a giant red flag, but no more than his very outspoken distaste for the quotidian L.A. lifestyle. His forthright hatred for all things  _ fun _ simply bewildered James, who had tried on more than just a single occasion to find some middle-ground with Jay- something that Seth had criticized him for relentlessly, despite his attempts.

But, it was fruitless in just about every area of the matter. Music, hobbies, his unhealthy obsession with gluten...  _ Movies _ were the sector that most differentiated them.    
'I don’t really care for whatever Hollywood’s next materialistic, self-indulgent shlock to please the masses is,' Jay would dismiss in conversation. 'So much propaganda and cheap gags in those things… Really, Seth,  _ buddy _ , you know I love you but…' And from then on, James would tune him out. He had no attraction towards listening to whatever reasoning that Jay would provide for why he deemed all of Franco’s personal favorites to be pretentious, boring wastes of time, or  _ especially _ why he didn’t believe _Pineapple Express_ was one of the best films of its decade. Evidently he hadn’t had a single clue how painstaking of a process it was to make as many profound movies as the pair had, and while this approbation went unheeded on Seth’s end, it offended James enough for the both of them.  _ He _ recognized Seth’s genius, at least. That was one of the many reasons he was so keen on working with him, time and time again. 

Matched with their unquestionable chemistry, above all, Seth and James’ continuous structure with one another was purely undeniable, and he’d fail to recall just how many times he’d caught himself admiring the man’s artistry, both around and out of his presence. Seth had such a likable draw to him, always bringing James to laugh, and  _ rarely _ were these laughs ever forged, unlike the doctored chuckles he’d duress to keep Danny off of his back. Jay too, but with the way that things were playing out beyond the Franco residence, he felt as though it was time to focus on navigating their way out of this situation as opposed to centralizing his focus on his contempt for Seth’s tag-along. Such disdain he had tried to write off as being justified, annoyed that Seth had landed the group with yet another impossible mouth to feed by beguiling him to the party in the first place, but, this odium for Jay had begun long before he’d been appointed to share his home with him. Perhaps somewhere in himself, he had enough self-vigilance to identify his antipathy for what it was; undying, ceaseless, admiration-driven desire for Seth- or, more likely to be true than this, is that James Franco is an absolutely air-headed, naïve mental case, who prefers to believe his disliking for Jay lies more in the fact that he hadn’t complimented James’ artwork as he’d come through the door the prior evening. 

Alternatively? Perhaps it lies in the fact that he thinks Jay is a total, selfish hog with their sole remaining gallon of water. Thanks to what was an unfortunate medley of Danny’s reckless behavior and James’ lack of preparation for an event like this to have even occurred as abnormally as it had, their situation regarding groceries raised quite a few issues. With the exception of what the guys had kept as mere scraps from the ‘ _ Danny fucking things up by attempting to prepare a breakfast banquet’  _ ordeal, they were now down to less than bare essentials. This being...    
That lone, untouched _Milky Way_ , and if James had drawn any conclusion pertaining to the candy bar, it was that Jay wouldn’t be the one to receive it. He was certain that if the household were to entertain some sort of collective vote regarding who had earned the liberty to indulge in the snack, not a single individual would pitch aforesaid vote to Jay. Maybe Seth, if anyone, but that’s something that James is trying to tackle; the taxing responsibility of convincing Seth that Jay isn’t as deserving of his footing here as he’d thought. They’d do good with one less person here after all, and since convincing Danny to leave seems to be continually unavailing, who better else? 

He wouldn’t say that he wished death onto Jay; such an assertion was far-stretched and insufferably cruel, and the last thing James needed on his conscience preceding probable demise was someone else’s blood on his hands. He already had blood on his  _ freshly  _ varnished kitchen floor, and that was the extent of carnage that he wished to witness. An authentic severed head wasn’t nearly as cool as they made it look in the industry. It was messier, grotesque and something about  _ knowing _ the gore leaking from the skull wasn’t a combination of corn syrup and dye didn’t sit well with him in the least bit. He assumes this is a standard reaction, _though_ , maybe the group could have reacted with more civility upon the initial run-in.   
While he doesn’t find death is what Jay deserves, James can’t help but wish that Seth would lose some of this apparent absorption he seemed to have with the other. Always at one another’s sides, James felt intimidated by the intimacy of their relationship. Already did it feel as though Jay was at an advantage, given the antiquity of their friendship and how many years they had spent, growing closer with one another but, James was lead to believe that he and Seth had a bond that could transcend time. He didn’t feel obliged to pin a number to the amount of time in which they’d known one another because the mental souvenirs they’d collected along the way, and the certitude they had built up were immensely formidable.    
  
So, all James really wants to do is to fashion tensity. It’s a totally selfish desire with a heedless motive, and the more he muses on the aforementioned, sole purpose, the more that this is brought to light. James loves Seth, and nothing would make him happier than for the two of them to spend their last days together - _alone_ \- with whatever that demanded. T o his disadvantage, however, he has absolutely nothing to use against Jay that Seth doesn’t  _ already  _ know of. In what absolutely _shouldn't_ have perturbed James as much as it does, Jay never goes out of his way to dish anything remotely cynical out towards his companion. When he speaks of him, it’s only with regard, so much so that James almost feels  _ bad _ for trying to come between them; and yet, not bad _enough_ to renounce his attempt in doing so. If all else would come to fail, James could always employ the camcorder as a secondary plan.    
Staggeringly, considering his inquisitive nature, he had yet to snoop through the tapes in the hopes to find something of any amusement from the others’ confessionals. It prompts him to at the very least speculate what sort of things that Jay could have potentially said about their friend. _Surely_ , somewhere along the way, he’s gotten irritated enough with his counterpart to feel inclined to vent to the embracing company of James’ camera. James knows that he’s certainly guilty of doing so.    
  


* * *

  
By the time the others have scrambled off to their designated areas to rest, James made for the staircase. If it turned out that any of the others had already beaten him to Seth’s company, the conversation would have been set on the backburner, proposed another time to avoid disruption but, as far as he’s concerned, the second-lowest level of the home is near idle. Some inconspicuous lingering around the corner would confirm this, allowing him to find Seth alone.   
From this point, James is left to deal with a single matter at hand, this being alluding to an affront that he believes the other will gather as plausible _enough_ , with even a ring of some truth. But again, this is where James is turning up blanks, ordained to recognize that Jay, beyond his ability to pique, was ultimately  _ innocent _ .    
James is hardly a stranger to telling a credible fib, however- at least, he  _ tries _ to succeed in doing so.

“Jay said you were a pussy,” is what’s blurted out. James’ eyes shift transitorily about their surroundings, but he quickly strives to acquire more confidence in what he’s said.  _ Surety _ , as opposed to the initial expression of indecision he exhibited. He couldn’t possibly allow Seth to catch on to the fact that James’ fabrication comprises nothing  _ but _ that; a dumb lie. Both hands sink into the pockets of his ashen cardigan and he rests his hip against the interlining wall of the staircase. “...like, earlier. He was all, like…  _ ‘Man _ , I don’t think Seth’s handling this whole apocalypse thing very well. I think he needs to man up, and… and  _ do _ something.’ You know?”   
  
This provoked Seth to raise a perplexed brow. His confusion was rooted more in the notion that Jay would have gone out of his way to speak to James, _willingly_ , instead of bewilderment supervening what he’d supposedly said. He provides him with even more to mull over as he continues.    
“And I was like, ‘hey, man… Seth’s handling this better than  _ any _ of us.’” James’ guise is earnest, giving Seth that quintessential wide-eyed, firm look that would indicate he’s particularly passionate about this ornate untruth. “‘Seth is the strongest dude here. I mean, he’s got guts and perseverance, and the best ideas. We’d probably already be goners without him!’ But yeah, I don’t know, man... Pretty out of line, right?”    
  
The subsequent pause would have strongly denoted that James is waiting for an answer, so Seth tries to think of one; in itself, _a struggle._   
He’s known for as long as he’d been flying Jay out to LA that he and Franco were anything but on cordial terms. One would think that after a few visits, they’d learn to work out their differences. This inclination for the pair to get along is one of the few driving objectives of squeezing in a visit to Franco’s each time he has Jay staying at his place. However, it’d been one vain outcome after the other. James’ hospitable attitude was doubtlessly just for show, and Jay was much more vocal about his distaste for the other looking past mutual attempts that he had witnessed to come across as mildly affable. Seth knows this can be a demanding labor with James too, and it wasn’t anything that he would act blindly towards. He’s just one of those people whose eccentricity takes time to adjust to, and find a way to work with. Seth had made it work for years and for the sake of their friendship, he would continue to.    
  
“Yeah.” Seth shakes his head. “ _Right_. I mean,  _ ouch _ , man.” Having risen up from the pallet, Seth plants his weight on either one of his palms, out by his sides. It had to’ve been late, but this is wholly based on feeling, rather than what the landscape outside would have suggested, with blindingly titian, incandescent skies and flames all around, engulfing the trees and all other environmental surroundings. Only the sinkhole in Franco’s front yard preceding the home could be earnestly made out. “- who knows why he would’ve said that… And to think, _I_ was generous enough to bring him all the way out here to your party! To your nice,” Seth looks around and gestures mindlessly with his hands, adding nothing but inconstancy to his attempt at a compliment. “... large… very confusingly constructed house… with your weird stairs, and that massive dick statue that Craig sacrificed. You know, you really should’ve hung onto that thing.”   
This subconscious wander from the prior affair that’d driven James downstairs in the first place clearly doesn’t sit right with him, which prompted Seth to clear his throat and give his curls another wobble. “But, yeah, super out of line, dude. You know what, next time you see Jay, you tell him _I_ said that _he's_ , uh… he’s a _dickhead_. A  _ back-stabbing _ ,” He begins to point his finger to emphasize his affronts, “ _ weasley _ little punk.” 

It seems to breeze directly over James’ head that Seth’s transpiring grin and hearty laugh indicate such insults come only from a place of jest, and that a more rational side of him knows that there’s simply no way Jay would have come to James with such slander unless something inside of the younger decided ass-kissing was very suddenly something that appealed to him. As much as he made his abhor for Seth’s colleague clear, Seth doubts this ever being a possibility.   
James’ blind faith, on the other hand, is evinced in a beam of his own; toothy, and nodding as though he was silently promising to Seth that he’d relay a message of that nature to Jay with no hesitation whatsoever. Matter of fact, he probably  _ dreamed _ of lashing out on the other with hostility but Seth liked to have credence in knowing Jay wouldn’t ever actually believe there was any truth in a statement like the one he had made, playfully directed towards the other. He at the very least hoped so. It was only said to urge James to simmer down.    
  
“Totally, man. I got your back.” Franco would pledge, a hand coming up to rest against his own heartbeat to officiate this vow. 

  
  
In a moment’s notice, he’s treading forward and Seth takes this as an initiative to scoot over, making some room for his confidante.    
The first night that one of the guys had tried to join him in the area he’d professed as his regular arrangement for sleeping, Seth wasn’t so sure how to feel about it. Even as he’d grown up along Jay, the two were never forced into a situation where sharing a bed was expected of them. In the most inconvenient of instances, Seth would take the floor and offer the bed to Jay in an effort to be as hospitable as one could when hosting for a guest but, Jay was stubborn and would customarily follow in his pattern, making a pallet for himself on the opposing side of the ground to refrain from feeling guilty about taking Seth’s bed for himself. But, he sure hadn’t seemed to mind making himself comfortable in Seth’s abode _here,_ nuzzling up to the furthest end of the pillow panoply and keeping himself as distanced from Seth’s body as he could. It was far more comfortable than taking the couch, considering he’d been outnumbered to reach a bed in time.    
  
Jonah, who _did_ contrarily have a bed to sleep in, had also exacted Seth to become accustomed to sharing his billet and wholly due to his trepidations during the night. These were recognized as understandable, rational fears given their current set of circumstances and Seth simply didn’t have it in himself to turn him down when he came toddling down the staircase, a puffy duvet draped around his shoulders. He’d gone from seemingly guiltily looming around the area until Seth flat-out verbalized the offer for him, to effortlessly diving into the makeshift bed along with him, tossing an arm around Seth while he was at it. It was something that he’d learned to find a shred of comfort in over time, and notably much more than Jay, who couldn’t seem to be any _less_ fond of Jonah’s incessant clinginess.    
Unlike Jonah, James  _ also _ has a bed  _ but _ , one that he had persistently retreated to each night. Huddling downstairs with the rest of the collective was something that just hadn’t seemed to appease him. It’s beyond possible that by the time the evening rolls around, he’s so fed-up with Danny’s antics, Jonah’s low blood sugar and- what was, in James’ eyes, - Jay’s exasperating nature that he wants nothing to do with them until morning when they’re all once again imposed to coexist with each other. This regular nightly absence stuck out to Seth like a sore thumb at this moment, and it’s more peculiar that James has only decided to show up when the others aren’t at hand.    
  
“So, did you come down here to smoke, or…?”    
  
It’s the only thing Seth could’ve presumed to be the case, a proverbial means of passing time together. He even begins to sift through his pocket in order to search for a lighter that isn’t actually required, thanks to James’ shake of his head, denying this idea.   
“Nah. I figured you could use the company.” James takes Seth up on the implied proffer, sinking to his knees and nosing his way up beneath the warmth of the multitude of blankets. He looks over to Seth with a flash of a smile and a content sigh, before flopping to lie on his back. “I guessed that you were alone. I didn’t hear any of the guys down here with you, so..”    
  
Seth nods and shrugs it off. “You’ve got a big ass place, man. There’s no telling where they are,” He chuckled warmly, and it induces James’ grin to broaden, “.. all I know is that Danny is  _ definitely _ in the bathroom, jackin’ it. That much we could bet on.”    
The laugh is reciprocated on James’ end but, accompanied by a distasteful grimace. It was imagery that he would have much preferred to go without paying mind.    
  
“ _Sick_ … but true.” He confirmed. “Shoulda’ never told him I had those porno mags. Gonna have to burn ‘em all now.”   
  
“Well, with the current state of affairs,” Seth gestured in the direction of what was once a window, now obscured with beams of all varying sizes, and sloppily topped off with loose-hanging strips of duct tape. They made use of what limited resources they had within the home but, the tape ordeal was more or less Seth’s most futile endeavor yet, “... I don’t think you’d have much trouble finding a good spot to do so.”    
  
Fair point, James supposed.    
The entirety of his front lawn and outwith it looked as though the population of LA had plummeted right into the center of _Heat Wave,_ and to none of their fortunes, not a single one of them had the competence that Jamie Luner had. All they could do from here forward was bear the circumstances and accept whatever their fate was from that moment forward, be it some outlandish, momentous natural disaster that would find itself blowing over eventually, or the very rare instance that Jay might’ve been correct in his own assumptions; an interesting thing to remit Seth’s way.

  
  
“Do you think Jay’s been right this entire time?”   
  
“About me being a pussy?”    
  
James almost catches himself snorting, though the murk of the subject matter keeps him from entirely doing so.    
“About…” He too gestures back towards the poorly shielded window, “.. all of  _ this _ . I mean, he brought up all that stuff from the Bible, ‘n shit. I didn’t wanna believe it at first- I _didn't_ believe it at first, but it just makes you wonder, man. How scary would that be? The more you think about it… especially since we’re still down here, and you know- not _up there_ , like he said.”   
  
Seth gave it a moment of thought before his contemplation was interrupted with another abrupt laugh.   
“Does it really surprise you that Danny fucking McBride didn’t make it to Heaven?”, was his attempt at some ill-timed banter. Glancing down to where the other laid, looking right back up at him with atypically sorrowful eyes brought Seth to recognize the insolence in his words however, and he quickly tried to mask his pathetic jest that clearly did not land whatsoever. “Well, yeah, it _is_ scary… I guess that’s why I’ve tried to avoid thinking about it… it seems almost impossible, doesn’t it?” He incited and shook his head. “Not impossible, but, like, _surreal_. The type of thing we’ve heard and read about our entire lives, seen in movies and stuff- and to think that it’s _happening_? I just don’t think I can wrap my head around it.” Seth admits.    
He finally eased his way back onto the ground alongside his friend, whom he’s still surpassingly sure to leave plenty of room for. It felt as though there was always some sort of unspoken yet mutual rule between two men sharing a bed with one another to reserve plenty of space in between both aforesaid bodies. James never cared for this rule.    
  
“And, hey… Emma talked about seeing zombies out there. There aren’t any  _ zombies _ in the Bible... right?” Seth would go on to hinder the idea of their situation being at all comparable to Armageddon. It’s complicated to decipher whether or not this is being done out of sheer disbelief for what Jay had preached to them, or with it only in mind to console James’ worries.    
It was weird seeing him like this, similarly. James always had such a customarily carefree nature to his demeanor, blithe in his approach to any conflicts that Seth would have found to be otherwise too foreboding to bear. It’s this buoyancy that Seth doesn’t want to witness retired, almost selfish in his  _ need _ for someone’s security to stick around. There was no way that they could possibly pull through with an absolute vacancy of hope. A congenial nudge is passed onto James’ shoulder after extending his arm enough for it, and he held his warm leer long enough to meet his mutual gaze, partnered with a candied smile. “ _ Riiight _ ?”   
  
This childish essence of Seth’s tonality persuaded a breathy snicker, to which James would escort with a bemused raise of his brow. “Are you asking me if zombies played a role in the Bible? Because something tells me, you’ve definitely  _ never _ read it… and thus your unknowingness would make sense.”    
  
Seth’s brows shoot up and he elicits a playfully aggrieved scoff.    
“What, like  _ you’ve _ read it? Your moral high ground isn’t any better than mine!” He would rebut, only to earn a smug laugh out of James. This accusation likely couldn’t be accurately confuted, but he would rest at nothing to win a sportive dispute. 

“At least I  _ own _ a Bible. Where do you think he was getting all of those crazy theories from?” James inquired, head rolling to the side to impart a complacent cock of his own brow, wiggling a bit as if this would emphasize his point. “That fucker got his hands on my stuff... Went through my library. It’s all in there; assumably..”    
  
“I mean… I don’t think it’s the _worst_ piece of fiction he could be preaching from,” Seth averred. “... at least he isn’t getting his ideas from, like,  _ Lord of the Flies _ , or some shit.”    
  
It was truly a miracle in itself that this scenario hadn’t  _ already  _ come to life. The amount of bickering, and hawkish conduct shared by the guys made for an uncomfortably tense living arrangement and by many of their judgements, in dire need of some proper leadership.    
Nothing had yet come from that postulation, however. Carrying through with a unanimous vote as to who would claim ownership of that title - be it in the vein of a Jack or a Ralph - was a severe hindrance, as the shared arrogance rooted into all of them biased their conceptions. Ensuing their confinement indoors, James would have been led to believe that he had an inherent advantage over the others as far as authority would have been concerned. The residence was his own, where he had lived unaided by their company for months prior, and  within  were all of  _ his _ belongings. Yet, the reality hadn’t been so overt. None of them had outwardly stated that they were collectively opposed to the idea of pronouncing James in charge, though, none had expressed covet for it, either. It would go without the necessity of being vocalized that many could agree he wasn’t nearly stable enough for supremacy; certainly not with the way he heedlessly swung his pistol around, and initiated seemingly endless quarrels with the others.    
  
As much as James would rule in opposition to it,  _ Jay  _ was likely the alternate that the group would come nearest to mutually settling on. He had Jonah wrapped around his finger disturbingly tight and had Danny so far up his ass that he couldn’t see straight. That was kindred to a slap in the face, certainly, considering the hefty history that James and Danny had. He had always been an inferred member of their tight-knit crew, but James supposed teaming up for goddamned  _ Tropic Thunder  _ really erected quite the alliance between the two of them.    
James knew that Craig didn’t care much for Jay, surely no more than he himself did, but it was  _ Seth’s _ theoretical choice that gaged his interest the most.    
“I guess now wouldn’t really be the best time for  _ warfare  _ to break out among us.” James pondered aloud, but it does pose interesting states of affairs to mull on; what would be the final straw on either end and who either end would even  _ consist _ of, in the event of hypothetical partnerships forming. The chances of each of them experiencing an inclination to disperse their own ways felt far less slim, given the abundance of egotism coexisting in the household… but regardless of who would have sided with which of their counterparts, James is unmoved in his belief that he and Seth would remain inseparable. If any couplet had the aptness to brawl with tragedy and come out alive, it had to be them. He doesn’t want to risk the prospect of Seth forgetting this.   


“We’d stick together though, wouldn’t we?” He would inquire.    
  
It seems as though he’s caught his opposite off guard with such a query, clear in Seth’s expression of perplexity. “What do you mean?”    
  
He’s twice as fazed when James shoots up, suspiring thickly and shifting to sit his weight onto his knees. Seth is spared one of those, ‘ _ you should know what I’m talking about without demanding an explanation _ ’ inspections but, he finds himself putting forth a delineation regardless. Anything to certify that the pair were on the same page.   
“ _ You know _ ,” James extends an arm to bestow a nudge. “.. if something  _ were  _ to... crazily break out between us; a house full of  _ egomaniacal _ actors. I’m sure  _ one _ of them has tried to plot some sort of dumbass scheme to overthrow the rest of us by now.  _ Danny?  _ He’s a total fucking tyrant.”    
  
This would appear to be met with gentle dispute on Seth’s behalf, swift to brush off the possibility as though it were  _ instinctive _ to protect the other guys, and this perturbs James  _ mostly  _ in knowing that they likely wouldn’t have been as quick to do the same. Seth was far too selfless for his own good sometimes.    
“Man, you know I was just messing with you.  _ Lord of the Flies, _ ” He snickered. “There’s no way. Those guys, they’re our friends! You know that. You don’t really think they’d turn against us, do you?”   
  
James' arms raise defensively. “Hey, you don’t always know who you’re  _ really  _ dealing with.  _ Actors,  _ man.” He warned. “It’s our job to put on facades, after all.”   
  
Seth falls silent, and James takes advantage of this to jump in once more. His intent hadn’t initially been to implement fear into his friend pertaining to the others but it isn’t a particularly deficient scheme, either. Distress had a powerful way of driving people, and James was tactless to guarantee he could win him over for  good .    
“It’s great to be prepared, is all I’m saying. Some...  _ conflict _ arises, you’ve gotta know where you stand when things start to fall; and frankly, I’m not so certain you can count on which of these guys’ll actually have your back. They could start switching it up at any time.”   
  
It isn’t a forewarning that Seth believes he should  _ expect _ but, James might’ve had a point. There was no telling how long this situation was going to drag on, and already had he lost all hope for some sort of rescue mission down the line. He had come to assume that they all had, as speculations between them pertaining to the arrival of a helicopter to fly them to their freedom had died down entirely. The atmosphere was sad; exhausted, and disconsolate. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before someone broke.   
Seth would have believed that he could trust each of the guys, though only time would tell now. This matter hadn’t been touched on by any of the others yet. One could find it potentially chary that James had instigated this conversation without provocation but, it was something to bear in mind; perchance he’s just  _ really _ scared of losing Seth. If this is the case, Seth is almost somewhat  _ softened _ by his fidelity to their friendship. He wouldn’t have known for a second that James is attempting to convert it into something more;  _ deeper _ , and more certainty that they’d spend as much of their remaining time with one another as they could.    
  
He thinks back to James’ precedent question and meets him to acknowledge it. He wants his earnesty to come across as much as to reassure the other.   
“Of course we’d stick together.” Seth insures. No matter the toil of what was to come, his friendship with James meant upwards of the world to him. “I mean, you said it best, man; we’re brothers,”  _ So,  _ maybe James was a little biased in his sudden discomfort with that particular descriptor but, _Hell_ , he was thankful for any shred of adulation on Seth’s end; he’d take quite literally whatever he could obtain and keep it with him all night. “- brothers for life. I’d hate it if anything came between us… not after we’ve made it  _ this  _ long.”    
  
James smiled, and Seth would continue, conscious of how his words appeared to set his counterpart at ease.    
“Besides... We’ve gotta keep this friendship goin’ long enough to make our _Pineapple_ sequel. That first draft was wicked promising.” He expressed, to the older’s delight. This disport was much-needed, and James was content with his confirmation that - little by little - he was well on his way to winning Seth over. Having his best friend all to himself left James sincerely unable to muse a better wake at the end of the world. He didn’t want to spend his final days with another person.    
  
“First draft?” He’d repeat, pushing his weight up from the pallet wholly. Seth counters this with a shrug, watching as James rises to his feet. He would melt into a smile ensuing an austere, wagging finger to the face that would, in itself, silently object to his attest. “Come on. The academy would have eaten that shit up.”    


**Author's Note:**

> Comedian slash fandom, rise from your 2014 demise! 
> 
> In all seriousness, sorry, Jay.
> 
> Come befriend me, or tell me I suck on tumblr : twinleska | muddierwaters  
> Want to roleplay? Find me on Discord : Char#5883


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